1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly to a reflection type liquid crystal display device having a high aperture ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
An aperture ratio of a liquid crystal display device is a rate of an area which a light penetrates with respect to an entire area of the pixel, and is important for picture quality of the device. One of the methods for increasing the aperture ratio of the reflection type LCD device is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, where the reflective pixel electrode 10 is extending over the data lines 2 and 4.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pixel module 100 of a conventional liquid crystal display device. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the active matrix display device taken along a line of FIG. 1. Module 100 is positioned in between gate lines 6 and 8 adapted for carrying gate drive signals to the pixel modules and data lines 2 and 4 adapted for delivering data signals to the pixel modules. Gate line 8 has a gate electrode 18, data line 2 has a source electrode 12, and reflective pixel electrode 10 is connected to drain electrode 14 of TFT xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d through contact hole.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to increase the aperture ratio, the pixel electrode 10 overlaps the data lines 2 and 4, and the aperture ratio of the device is increased by the overlapped length xcex94L.
However, since reflective pixel electrode 10 and adjacent pixel electrodes 10a and 10b overlap data lines 2 and 4, respectively, the overlapped length xcex94L is limited to taking into account misalignment of margin xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, which is about 4 xcexcm. Furthermore, if a misalignment happens during the fabrication process, the parasitic capacitance of the overlapped portion varies, which may cause a vertical crosstalk.
An object of the present invention is to provide a reflection type LCD device having a high aperture ratio.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reflection type LCD device which can minimize reflection by data lines.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reflection type LCD device which can minimize crosstalk.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal display device comprises a substrate; first and second gate lines formed on the substrate; first and second data lines intersecting the first and second gate lines so as to define a pixel region, wherein each one of the first and the second data lines has longitudinally separated first and second regions; an insulating film covering the first and the second gate lines and the first and the second data lines; a switching element disposed in the pixel region and connected between the second gate line and the pixel electrode; and a pixel electrode disposed in the pixel region and overlapping at least one of the first and the second regions of the first and second data lines. The liquid crystal display device is driven by an alternating current driving method.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the pixel electrode overlaps the first and the second data lines by whole width of the data lines and by a substantially half length of the data lines. The pixel electrode is a reflective pixel electrode. Preferably, the first and the second regions of the data lines are approximately the same in size. The pixel electrode extends over the first region of the first data line and extends over the second region of the second data line.
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a substrate; forming first and second gate lines on the substrate; forming first and second data lines to intersect the first and second gate lines so as to define a pixel region, wherein each one of the first and the second data lines has longitudinally separated first and second regions; forming an insulating film over the first and the second gate lines and the first and the second data lines; forming a switching element in the pixel region and connected between the second gate line and the pixel electrode; and forming a pixel electrode in the pixel region to overlap at least one of the first and the second regions of the first and second data lines.
Other elements, features, advantages and components of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in farther detail with reference to the drawings attached hereto.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.